The grades provide an accurate assessment of academic standing at the semester’s halfway mark.

“Academic counselors review these grades, make contact with struggling students, provide recommendations for repairing the grade or protecting the GPA and offer to meet with students prior to the deadline to withdrawal from individual classes.

“The Academic Success Center recognizes that all students and all situations are unique, so, while we have a standard protocol, we also adapt and tailor services to meet the individual needs of students,” Noon said.

]]>https://www.upj-advocate.com/news/2019/03/06/halfway-grades-catalogued/feed/0Events result from ideas, bookinghttps://www.upj-advocate.com/news/2019/03/06/events-result-from-ideas-booking/
https://www.upj-advocate.com/news/2019/03/06/events-result-from-ideas-booking/#respondWed, 06 Mar 2019 05:10:19 +0000https://www.upj-advocate.com/?p=7188Program Board members are adding more excitement to campus as they introduce new and improved events for students.

Program Board President Hanna Dixon said event ideas come from board members brainstorming.

“We also have online surveys on our social media pages,” she said.

“We try to bring back popular things that students like to do, but we also like to introduce new events.”

Dixon said the most popular event Program Board members host is a Pumpkin Hunt in the fall semester and an Egg Hunt in the spring semester.

These events provide students opportunities to hunt for pumpkins or eggs and to win prizes if they can find the hidden objects on campus.

“We’re changing up the hunt a little this year in terms of prizes,” Dixon said.

“We’re going to try and add different things for students to win this year.”

Dixon said the starting date for the Egg Hunt this year will be either April 7 or 8 with a block party closing the event April 12.

Other popular events include the Create-A-Creature, where students can build their own stuffed animals, and movie nights, when Program Board members rent out a theater at Richland Cinemas along Theatre Drive for the evening.

Dixon said, in October, she and other Program Board members went to a National Association for Campus Activities conference to get event ideas.

This conference is held every year to provide college students with programs and events that focus on student development.

It was at this year’s conference where they met Nelly’s Echo, a former competitor on “The Voice,” and they booked him to perform Feb. 20 at Pitt-Johnstown.

However, due to inclement weather, his performance was canceled and is being rescheduled for an undetermined date.

Program Board Marketing Manager Emily Williams said there is a high demand from students for certain events each year.

Other events Program Board members have done and are going to introduce include Campus Feud, imitating the game show “Family Feud” and The Drop, inspired by the show “The Wall” on NBC.

“It started with Nerdology, an interactive trivia game,” Williams said.

“Students loved it so much and started saying they wanted it back.

“We either bring an event back or bring it back in a different style,” she said.

“It’s better than doing the same thing over and over again.”

Sophomore Kayla VanOrmer said she enjoys participating in the seasonal hunts and Create-A-Creature every year.

“I’ve done both hunts, but never found anything,” VanOrmer said.

“But that doesn’t make me want to stop looking. It’s a lot of fun,” she said.

“I’ve also really enjoyed making a teddy bear at Create-A-Creature.

“I didn’t get to do it the second year they did it because I was out of town, so I was a little disappointed.

“It’s something I would definitely do again, though.”

Dixon said each event’s cost varies, and there is no specific budget for each event, but events that are booked at the National Association for Campus Activities conference receive discounted rates.

She also said that the Program Board budget is different every school year.

“(Program Board is) under the student government constitution, and we get a certain allocated amount every year,” Dixon said.

“The amount of money that we get fluctuates based on enrollment.

“We usually get around $90,000 every school year, but we’re getting a little less this year because enrollment is down.”

Communications and Public Relations Director Eric Sloss said he thinks this is a unique program.

“(The Pitt Success Pell Match Program) does not replace the Pell Grant, it matches it,” he said. “You can be eligible for both. It’s an additional support to students. It’s very unique for a university to provide additional financial support, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for students who need the support.”

According to an announcement made through Chancellor Patrick Gallagher’s office, this program is the most significant financial aid restructure in Pitt-Johnstown’s history.

“We expect that the university’s investment in students and families with financial need will increase by 47 percent, compared (with) just five year ago.

“(And) at our four regional campuses—where financial need in our community runs highest—this program is poised to increase Pitt’s average need-based award by 114 percent relative to five years ago,” Gallagher said in the announcement.

As one of the five Pitt campuses, Pitt-Johnstown students are to be eligible for the program, too.

“The federal Pell Grant helps students and families with the greatest financial need pay for college, (and) the Pitt Success Pell Match Program will maximize the power of this federal program by matching it dollar-for-dollar,” Gallagher said.

According to the Pitt-Johnstown website, one of the program’s benefits is that it would immediately reduce an eligible student’s financial obligation.

“We expect recipients to be able to reduce time spent at paid employment and to expand their time engaged in studies or university activities with less worry about financial commitments and constraints.”

Alyssa ColemanSophomores Daniel Shirley (left), Sam Hefferin (center) and Nick Gongaware (right) enjoy refreshments last Thursday at the Pitt Day of Giving party. Pitt-Johnstown won a total of $25,000 from placing in two different event challenges.

Alyssa ColemanSophomore Devin Seiger makes a Walking Taco served by Sodexo Catering Manager Derek Krajc at the Pitt Day of Giving party Thursday.

Mary-Lynn Retassie(Right, Foreground) Declan Cullen, Hailey Guiffre and Ben Berkebile perform in a Golgonooza show last Thursday at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center.

Mary-Lynn RetassiePerformers of the Golgonooza show “Percept: Love”, written by John Berret-Fornoff, receive applause at the end of their show Thursday.

]]>https://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2019/03/06/golgonooza-photo-story/feed/0Summer classes offer opportunitieshttps://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2019/03/06/summer-classes-offer-opportunities/
https://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2019/03/06/summer-classes-offer-opportunities/#respondWed, 06 Mar 2019 05:05:01 +0000https://www.upj-advocate.com/?p=7170For some students, summer may be a time for catching up on well-needed rest or having fun in the sun.

Others, however, take the opportunity to get ahead in their studies by completing credits through summer classes.

Freshman Ashley Eckenrode said that she plans on taking a summer math course.

“I think it will be easier to concentrate and do well in the class because I won’t be distracted by a bunch of other ones,” she said.

“I also have heard that the professors are willing to be more lenient.”

However, biology professor Stephen Kilpatrick said that, although summer classes are compressed into a shorter time period, the difficulty level remains the same as regular-school-year classes.

“Students may be doing better, not because the instructors are more lenient, but because they are able to focus on only one or two courses at a time,” Kilpatrick said.

“The classes are usually quite small.

“I typically don’t have more than about eight students in mine, though I know others are larger.”

English instructor William Fine said that, while summer classes are not for the faint of heart, they are an excellent way to complete courses quickly to make up for lost time or to move more quickly toward degree acquisition.

“I encourage those who are interested to participate, because as more students enroll, more courses will become available.

“For students who want an especially individualized experience, summer is an excellent time to enroll,” Fine said.

Spanish and Latin American Literature professor Alvaro Bernal said that, usually, summer courses are more intensive due to the shorter time length.

“Unfortunately, at least in foreign language courses, we do not have a lot of demand for summer classes, and they are usually canceled because of poor enrollment.

“Learning a foreign language is a plus in any field, and I would highly recommend signing up for a language summer course,” Bernal said.

Enrollment for summer term classes beganFeb. 11, and classes start May 13.

According to the Pitt-Johnstown website, all students will be required to meet with their academic advisers prior to enrolling for their summer term classes, just as they would be if they were enrolling in courses for the fall semester.

]]>https://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2019/03/06/summer-classes-offer-opportunities/feed/0Break approaches and stresses growhttps://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2019/03/06/break-approaches-and-stresses-grow/
https://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2019/03/06/break-approaches-and-stresses-grow/#respondWed, 06 Mar 2019 05:04:37 +0000https://www.upj-advocate.com/?p=7167It’s always darkest before the dawn, and the most stressful time, for some Pitt-Johnstown faculty and students, is the week before they get a long break.

Health and Counseling Services Director Shelley Peruso said her schedule was jam-packed with counseling appointment.

“Even my normal lunch period (is filled).”

If even the counselor said she is overwhelmed with work, it should not be hard to imagine how stressed out some students are.

With multiple class cancellations in the past few weeks and spring break days away, some students said they find themselves swamped with assignments and exams.

Sophomore Kayla VanOrmer said her semester went well, but these past few weeks have been quite stressful.

“I have a lot of deadlines approaching.

“(Because of the cancellations,) I feel like the teachers felt a higher pressure to get more material in, so they’re assigning more readings,” she said.

VanOrmer said exercising helps her relieve stress.

“I do a lot of yoga and I workout.

“I definitely think it helps me. It gets my mind off of the academic setting,” she said.

Besides normal students, there is another student population who faces lots of stress daily: student athletes.

Women’s track team member sophomore Samantha Klutz said she stresses out every day while at school.

“I am currently in Organic Chemistry 2. It gets pretty overwhelming.”

However, Klutz said her secret to dealing with stress is to make herself a drink, and exercise.

“When I’m stressed, I usually make a cup of tea, and track is definitely another outlet for me to relieve my stress.”

She said she balances her time between practice and schoolwork by setting aside time before and after practice to get some homework and studying in.

“It’s been working (for me thus) far.” Klutz said.

Assistant women’s basketball coach Renee Brown said she understands how athletes feel, since she was once a student-athlete.

“Basketball practices took my mind off of school assignments, personal issues and whatever else was going on in my life.

“It was like a sanctuary and a peace of mind – nothing else was relevant whenever I stepped on the court,” Brown said.

Having been through the process herself, Brown said she always reassures her athletes that they can talk to her about anything, and she shares her experiences with them so they won’t feel alone.

“I tell them to take a deep breath and let it out.

“I also encourage them to work out because research shows that physical activity can help reduce stress.

“Plus, you feel good when you exercise or play basketball-it’s like nothing else matters, all issues and negativity leave the door when you are on the court and focused,” she said.

In order to prevent herself from being stressed out, Brown said she spends time with her family in Pittsburgh, or, if she was unable to travel, she said she would video-call her loved ones and play video games with them.

“Some of the things that I think help with reducing stress is being able to vent to someone you trust without having the fear of being judged.

“Animals, exercises or finding a hobby that you truly enjoy doing also helps.

“(It is also important to) understand that you cannot control every aspect of life. There are some things that are out of your control; you just have to go with the flow.

“If something is that stressful to the point (that it’s) affecting your health and well-being, then I would highly suggest getting out of that particular activity or whatever it may be,” Brown said.

Although most people deal with stress in their lives, some people are genuinely happy all the time.

Pitt-Johnstown alumnus Bob Kuhns ofSomerset County said that he seldom gets stressed.

“I’m a really happy person,” he said.

“(However,) I am worried about my cats getting on the table. That makes me stressful.”

Kuhns said that he was in the Marine Corps.

“I went to Korea and Vietnam. I was a little stressed the night before (I went to Vietnam), but, other than that, I’ve never been stressed out.” he said.

“If something bothers me, I don’t (dwell on it), and I don’t let myself get involved.”

Kuhns said that he watches basketball games at the Wellness Center often.

“I come here all the time, and it keeps me from being stressed,” he said